Cobra Verde
Nightlife
Supersphere.com
By Marci Rogal

Holding Cobra Verde's latest release in my hands, the shimmering posh-glam interior art calls to mind Roxy Music's The Thrill of it All box-set's glamour and panache. The comparisons don't end with their graphic design. How many band's in the 90's are willing to bite the bullet and suck up to the 70's posturing of a fabulously over-emoting singer with enough affectations and flamboyance to be Marc Bolan's slightly less pretty doppelganger? Possibly The Lee Harvey Oswald Band, but that's the closest I can come to comparing Cobra Verde's absolute disregard for public opinion in the way they choose to express and present themselves. It's refreshing to say the very least.

Moving from affected Bryan Ferry-ish stylings to gravely growls ala T.S.O.L on to the velvety goth tones of Nick Cave, displays Petkovic's vocal diversity and penchant for coloring Cobra Verde's songs with an aura of reverence for the musical days of yore. CV entertains a wide range of influences while somehow ingraining bits of themselves all through their finely woven developed style. Songs like "Casino" have a quality to them that makes you feel like you've already heard the song and have become nostalgic for something you've actually never laid ears on. A fine ploy, drop the driving rhythms and catchy refrains on folks and they'll be hooked, hooked right into the campy Cave-ish strains of "What Makes A Man A Man", with it's flashy bump & grind horn arrangements.

With Nightlife, Cobra Verde has finally fully stepped from their past incarnation as Bob Pollard's backing GBV band and into the bright stage light of the glittering disco ball. It's about time!

Visit www.supersphere.com for a concert video of Cobra Verde performing at Chicago's Empty Bottle.